Kawasaki Ninja 650R Thoughts

Sturat · July 27, 2011, 8:11pm

[quote]johnnytang24 wrote:

[quote]Ratchet wrote:

[quote]johnnytang24 wrote:
I always go back to the 250. It’s 300lbs wet, can turn around in a parking space, lane split like non-other, and it’ll do 85mph (In a full tuck with tailwind… realistically 75mph). Single cylinder, spark plug is right there, oil is simplistic to change, carb can be removed in less than an hour. The lack of power also makes it nice in that you don’t have to have a death grip on the throttle all the time to ensure a bump in the road won’t put you on your ass or in to the car in front of you. The only drawback is the tank is only good for 80 miles before reserve.

Basically, the KLX250SF is fucking awesome.[/quote]

the 2008 and up 250s have a 3.5 gallon tank and i typically got 200-250 miles of racing of every stop in the city with mine…

The 250 was a great first bike, i bought mine used in 2009 for 3200 rode for a year, put over 10k miles on it, and sold it for 3150… not bad, and after a year you will know if you like sport bikes more or decide to go the cruiser route so your back doesnt hurt as much on really long rides… the 250 is very underpowered above 70 mph with a 200 pound rider on it and no one will be able to ride with you.

That said, when gas goes up I miss mine, but i dont miss the insurance, it was 2x what my car is… granted my car is a 1999 camaro…[/quote]

Insurance was high on the 250? Mine’s $60/year.

I’m surprised so many people here recommend a 600cc sport bike as a first bike. It’s not that you can’t get yourself in trouble on a 250, it’s just you’ll get their much faster on a 600.

Do you remember the first time you had to turn right at a stop sign? Oops, went a little too slow, time to give it some gas. Oh shit…

[/quote]

Or just learn to slip the clutch properly so you can ride away at a slow walking pace n perfect control. lol

DJHT · July 27, 2011, 8:27pm

[quote]kaisermetal wrote:
Harley Davidson is more of a life style than a good bike. nobody beats the japaneses[/quote]

Really? Good luck in America if you have a bike that is over 6 years old finding parts.

DJHT · July 27, 2011, 8:27pm

[quote]HoustonGuy wrote:
Harley Davidson.

/thread[/quote]

Do you have one? This is mine 2008 HD Crossbones.

bond_james_bond · July 27, 2011, 9:56pm

OP, take it to the 1\4 mile track when you get comfortable on it. Go on grudge night or something. I must warn you, it’s humbling. The times you see in the mags are pro riders with no reaction time to worry about.

It’s safer and the traction is insane not to mention fun as hell. Bracket racing is also a great time, I almost won a trophy first time out.

I am jelly, my first bike was a Honda 175, then a Kawasaki 250, then a Suzuki GS550 and now my pride and joy, a 1984 Suzuki GS1150. If I had jumped right onto the 550 I would have died in a week lol. Mind you I got my licence when I was sixteen which imho is to young to jump on a 90bhp bike that weighs next to nothing unless you’ve been dirt riding all your life.

One more thing, do not drink a twelve pack, fight with your girlfriend and then hop on your bike pissed off, trust me on this lol, I have the road rash to prove it.

kaisermetal · July 27, 2011, 10:55pm

[quote]DJHT wrote:

[quote]kaisermetal wrote:
Harley Davidson is more of a life style than a good bike. nobody beats the japaneses[/quote]

Really? Good luck in America if you have a bike that is over 6 years old finding parts. [/quote]

i don’t live in usa, but i guess importing isn’t expensive over there even if the pieces are difficult to find.

Seriously, over here, Harleys cost almost the double of every other bike besides BMW.

DJHT · July 27, 2011, 11:09pm

[quote]kaisermetal wrote:

[quote]DJHT wrote:

[quote]kaisermetal wrote:
Harley Davidson is more of a life style than a good bike. nobody beats the japaneses[/quote]

Really? Good luck in America if you have a bike that is over 6 years old finding parts. [/quote]

i don’t live in usa, but i guess importing isn’t expensive over there even if the pieces are difficult to find.

Seriously, over here, Harleys cost almost the double of every other bike besides BMW.[/quote]

I know that is why I put America and parts. HD are expensive here and there is a “life style” in buying them. There quality has improved dramatically in the 2000’s. I shopped around and checked out a ton of bikes and talked to a lot of different people. I plan to keep my bike forever, in 10 years I will need parts. I will be able to find them at affordable prices compared to a foreign bike’s parts will be 3 times as much or may not be made any longer.

waldo21212 · July 27, 2011, 11:14pm

[quote]atypical1 wrote:

OP, that’s a great little bike and I see a lot of them out here. It makes a lot of sense as you’ve only got a 5 - 10 mile commute. I might have missed it but do you have any desire to ride simply for pleasure or is this meant solely for commuting? If it is just for commuting then perhaps a scooter is a good option.

james[/quote]

Thanks for the input - it is both for commuting and pleasure (I want it for pleasure/fun riding but with limited time it will mostly get used for commuting). And also, I ended getting an 08 650R 2 weeks ago. So far I’m really liking it.

johnnytang24 · July 28, 2011, 1:45am

[quote]Sturat wrote:

[quote]johnnytang24 wrote:

[quote]Ratchet wrote:

[quote]johnnytang24 wrote:
I always go back to the 250. It’s 300lbs wet, can turn around in a parking space, lane split like non-other, and it’ll do 85mph (In a full tuck with tailwind… realistically 75mph). Single cylinder, spark plug is right there, oil is simplistic to change, carb can be removed in less than an hour. The lack of power also makes it nice in that you don’t have to have a death grip on the throttle all the time to ensure a bump in the road won’t put you on your ass or in to the car in front of you. The only drawback is the tank is only good for 80 miles before reserve.

Basically, the KLX250SF is fucking awesome.[/quote]

the 2008 and up 250s have a 3.5 gallon tank and i typically got 200-250 miles of racing of every stop in the city with mine…

The 250 was a great first bike, i bought mine used in 2009 for 3200 rode for a year, put over 10k miles on it, and sold it for 3150… not bad, and after a year you will know if you like sport bikes more or decide to go the cruiser route so your back doesnt hurt as much on really long rides… the 250 is very underpowered above 70 mph with a 200 pound rider on it and no one will be able to ride with you.

That said, when gas goes up I miss mine, but i dont miss the insurance, it was 2x what my car is… granted my car is a 1999 camaro…[/quote]

Insurance was high on the 250? Mine’s $60/year.

I’m surprised so many people here recommend a 600cc sport bike as a first bike. It’s not that you can’t get yourself in trouble on a 250, it’s just you’ll get their much faster on a 600.

Do you remember the first time you had to turn right at a stop sign? Oops, went a little too slow, time to give it some gas. Oh shit…

[/quote]

Or just learn to slip the clutch properly so you can ride away at a slow walking pace n perfect control. lol[/quote]

Yes, because every beginner has perfect clutch control 100% of the time.

kaisermetal · July 28, 2011, 2:17am

[quote]DJHT wrote:

[quote]kaisermetal wrote:

[quote]DJHT wrote:

[quote]kaisermetal wrote:
Harley Davidson is more of a life style than a good bike. nobody beats the japaneses[/quote]

Really? Good luck in America if you have a bike that is over 6 years old finding parts. [/quote]

i don’t live in usa, but i guess importing isn’t expensive over there even if the pieces are difficult to find.

Seriously, over here, Harleys cost almost the double of every other bike besides BMW.[/quote]

I know that is why I put America and parts. HD are expensive here and there is a “life style” in buying them. There quality has improved dramatically in the 2000’s. I shopped around and checked out a ton of bikes and talked to a lot of different people. I plan to keep my bike forever, in 10 years I will need parts. I will be able to find them at affordable prices compared to a foreign bike’s parts will be 3 times as much or may not be made any longer. [/quote]

you should just go for a bike that you like, not because of avaiable parts and prices. If it cllicks something in you. Go for it!

SexMachine · July 28, 2011, 3:08am

[quote]atypical1 wrote:

[quote]SexMachine wrote:
I know people who learned on supersports too. My point is, a 600 supersport can reach over 70 mph in first gear before hitting the red line so anyone who thinks they need a 600 supersport for riding on public roads is either going to be in first gear all the time or riding at lunatic speeds.[/quote]

Couple of points.

I’ve ridden a Gixxer 600 and a CBR 600RR and I found them extremely powerful.

I know. You up and down shift at different rev rates depending on the circumstances. My point is still valid. You are rarely going to need to leave first/second gear riding on public roads on anything as or more powerful than a 600 supersport.

I realise this. I started out dirt bike riding when I was 12 then went into racing motocross on a Yamaha YZ-125 then a 250. I now ride a Husky SM510R supermotard.

kaisermetal · July 28, 2011, 1:21pm

i hate supermotard’s, they are like: “Look, you can get on all terrains and have all the benefits in just one bike” and end being worse than one who gets the job done.

SexMachine · July 28, 2011, 1:29pm

[quote]kaisermetal wrote:
i hate supermotard’s, they are like: “Look, you can get on all terrains and have all the benefits in just one bike” and end being worse than one who gets the job done.[/quote]

I like the way mine weighs less than I do, hits nearly 60bhp on the dyno and can keep up with supersports in the twisties.

DJHT · July 28, 2011, 1:28pm

[quote]kaisermetal wrote:

[quote]DJHT wrote:

[quote]kaisermetal wrote:

[quote]DJHT wrote:

[quote]kaisermetal wrote:
Harley Davidson is more of a life style than a good bike. nobody beats the japaneses[/quote]

Really? Good luck in America if you have a bike that is over 6 years old finding parts. [/quote]

i don’t live in usa, but i guess importing isn’t expensive over there even if the pieces are difficult to find.

Seriously, over here, Harleys cost almost the double of every other bike besides BMW.[/quote]

I know that is why I put America and parts. HD are expensive here and there is a “life style” in buying them. There quality has improved dramatically in the 2000’s. I shopped around and checked out a ton of bikes and talked to a lot of different people. I plan to keep my bike forever, in 10 years I will need parts. I will be able to find them at affordable prices compared to a foreign bike’s parts will be 3 times as much or may not be made any longer. [/quote]

you should just go for a bike that you like, not because of avaiable parts and prices. If it cllicks something in you. Go for it![/quote]

Of course, but if you are thinking long term in life you have to take everything in consideration. 10 years from now I did not want to be dealing with problems, I would rather spend the money now on something I love but with the perks later on.

Did the same thing with my truck I bought something that I will love and keep forever. Both my bike and truck are paid off, both will still be in style and have available parts etc for a long time.

Ratchet · July 28, 2011, 11:05am

[quote]johnnytang24 wrote:

[quote]Ratchet wrote:

[quote]johnnytang24 wrote:
I always go back to the 250. It’s 300lbs wet, can turn around in a parking space, lane split like non-other, and it’ll do 85mph (In a full tuck with tailwind… realistically 75mph). Single cylinder, spark plug is right there, oil is simplistic to change, carb can be removed in less than an hour. The lack of power also makes it nice in that you don’t have to have a death grip on the throttle all the time to ensure a bump in the road won’t put you on your ass or in to the car in front of you. The only drawback is the tank is only good for 80 miles before reserve.

Basically, the KLX250SF is fucking awesome.[/quote]

the 2008 and up 250s have a 3.5 gallon tank and i typically got 200-250 miles of racing of every stop in the city with mine…

The 250 was a great first bike, i bought mine used in 2009 for 3200 rode for a year, put over 10k miles on it, and sold it for 3150… not bad, and after a year you will know if you like sport bikes more or decide to go the cruiser route so your back doesnt hurt as much on really long rides… the 250 is very underpowered above 70 mph with a 200 pound rider on it and no one will be able to ride with you.

That said, when gas goes up I miss mine, but i dont miss the insurance, it was 2x what my car is… granted my car is a 1999 camaro…[/quote]

Insurance was high on the 250? Mine’s $60/year.

I’m surprised so many people here recommend a 600cc sport bike as a first bike. It’s not that you can’t get yourself in trouble on a 250, it’s just you’ll get their much faster on a 600.

Do you remember the first time you had to turn right at a stop sign? Oops, went a little too slow, time to give it some gas. Oh shit…

[/quote]

its a function of where you live, i had full coverage and a high medical since i dont have health insurnace. In missouri mine insurance was 270 a year (not bad at all) but in Birmingham alabama where 40% of drivers are uninsured my insurance (after shoping around to over 30 places) was 650 a year from the dairy farmers association… in Alabama they look at the type of bike, not the CC, i paid as much as any other ninja owner (regardless of cc)… its hella retarded… a 250 ninja here costs more to insure then most 1200cc cruisers… cause they are not (race / sport bikes)…

Sturat · July 28, 2011, 6:29pm

[quote]johnnytang24 wrote:

[quote]Sturat wrote:

[quote]johnnytang24 wrote:

[quote]Ratchet wrote:

[quote]johnnytang24 wrote:
I always go back to the 250. It’s 300lbs wet, can turn around in a parking space, lane split like non-other, and it’ll do 85mph (In a full tuck with tailwind… realistically 75mph). Single cylinder, spark plug is right there, oil is simplistic to change, carb can be removed in less than an hour. The lack of power also makes it nice in that you don’t have to have a death grip on the throttle all the time to ensure a bump in the road won’t put you on your ass or in to the car in front of you. The only drawback is the tank is only good for 80 miles before reserve.

Basically, the KLX250SF is fucking awesome.[/quote]

the 2008 and up 250s have a 3.5 gallon tank and i typically got 200-250 miles of racing of every stop in the city with mine…

The 250 was a great first bike, i bought mine used in 2009 for 3200 rode for a year, put over 10k miles on it, and sold it for 3150… not bad, and after a year you will know if you like sport bikes more or decide to go the cruiser route so your back doesnt hurt as much on really long rides… the 250 is very underpowered above 70 mph with a 200 pound rider on it and no one will be able to ride with you.

That said, when gas goes up I miss mine, but i dont miss the insurance, it was 2x what my car is… granted my car is a 1999 camaro…[/quote]

Insurance was high on the 250? Mine’s $60/year.

I’m surprised so many people here recommend a 600cc sport bike as a first bike. It’s not that you can’t get yourself in trouble on a 250, it’s just you’ll get their much faster on a 600.

Do you remember the first time you had to turn right at a stop sign? Oops, went a little too slow, time to give it some gas. Oh shit…

[/quote]

Or just learn to slip the clutch properly so you can ride away at a slow walking pace n perfect control. lol[/quote]

Yes, because every beginner has perfect clutch control 100% of the time.[/quote]

Of course not, but teh answer to poor clutch control is practice, not a bike that masks mistakes.

I teach motorcycling, by the end of a two day course all our students can slip the clutch smoothly at a slow walking pace every time. It’s not that hard to learn if you put a little effort in and have some instruction.

Sturat · July 28, 2011, 6:33pm

[quote]DJHT wrote:

[quote]kaisermetal wrote:

[quote]DJHT wrote:

[quote]kaisermetal wrote:

[quote]DJHT wrote:

[quote]kaisermetal wrote:
Harley Davidson is more of a life style than a good bike. nobody beats the japaneses[/quote]

Really? Good luck in America if you have a bike that is over 6 years old finding parts. [/quote]

i don’t live in usa, but i guess importing isn’t expensive over there even if the pieces are difficult to find.

Seriously, over here, Harleys cost almost the double of every other bike besides BMW.[/quote]

I know that is why I put America and parts. HD are expensive here and there is a “life style” in buying them. There quality has improved dramatically in the 2000’s. I shopped around and checked out a ton of bikes and talked to a lot of different people. I plan to keep my bike forever, in 10 years I will need parts. I will be able to find them at affordable prices compared to a foreign bike’s parts will be 3 times as much or may not be made any longer. [/quote]

you should just go for a bike that you like, not because of avaiable parts and prices. If it cllicks something in you. Go for it![/quote]

Of course, but if you are thinking long term in life you have to take everything in consideration. 10 years from now I did not want to be dealing with problems, I would rather spend the money now on something I love but with the perks later on.

Did the same thing with my truck I bought something that I will love and keep forever. Both my bike and truck are paid off, both will still be in style and have available parts etc for a long time. [/quote]

Maybe it’s different because I live in Canada but this just isn’t true up here.

I have a 2005 VTX 1800 and parts for my bike are significantly cheaper than parts for my friend’s street glide. Not to mention that I’ve had to replace my clutch. . . that’s it. He’s done clutch, needed engine work all sorts of issues (this isn’t couting aftermarket parts or regular maintenance).

In terms of availability I used to ride a 1980 GS 850 and after that a 1983 GS1100E and I never had any difficulty finding parts, also cheaper than Harley parts.

Again, maybe it’s a Canada thing but the cost of owning japanese bikes is significantly lower.

Not to mention my VTX cost about $15,000 less than the street glide. About $10,000 less after I put all my aftermarket parts on it to bring it to about the same package. That $10,000 buys a whole lot of stuff.

DJHT · July 28, 2011, 6:37pm